August 2, 2025

WEEKLY MENU 08.03.25

We’re partying during the Weekly Menu 08.03.25!

We’re partying hardy during the Weekly Menu 08.03.25. Why? It’s Bert’s Birthday! Hip Hip Hooray! Bert is a little bit of a cake monster, and on his birthday, he always gets his favorite cake of the moment.

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Bert is mostly an equal opportunity cake guy~

He’s crazy for the always healthy Carrot Cake, especially at Easter. It’s an Ina Garten recipe that is actually for cupcakes. Bert does NOT like cupcakes: he thinks they’re a waste of his time. So I make the recipe in three 8″ cake pans, and double the cream cheese frosting. And I use whole walnut halves. (Is that an oxymoron?) It’s never failed me. And it doesn’t have any pineapple. {Shudder}

Everyone loves Italian Cream Cake. It also has a wonderful cream cheese frosting, which is why I think Bert likes it so much. The only problem with both of these cakes is that they are absolutely ginormous. We generally power through about half of either one, then I wrap the other half in plastic, then in foil, and stow them in the freezer. Of course I never label them, and they look pretty similar at first glance, so I put them on the menu months later as “Mystery Cake”.

Some years, Bert wants bakery cake. Always respectable, always yellow cake with buttercream frosting. The bakery is also much better than I at decorating, so we can get “Happy Birthday, Pops!” sprawled across the top.

This year, Bert has requested a mash-up: Coconut Cake with walnuts, chocolate chips, and even more coconut. My plan is to gussy up a boxed cake mix, and make some fabulous frosting that will do double duty. For the filling, I’ll mix in mini-chocolate chips, chopped walnuts and sweetened coconut. I’ll toast up some more coconut to decorate the outside after I swirl the remaining frosting on it. Sounds good, right? Maybe THIS will become Bert’s go-to.

All of my people have a favorite cake.

The OG Baby Boy is a Paula Deen Coconut Poke Cake all the way.

D is particularly fond of frosted Toll House Pan Cookie Cake. Toll house cookies spread in a 9×13 rectangular pan. If you get a chance, check out this 9×13 Rectangular Baking Pan from USA Pan Bakeware. I bought it originally to make Detroit Style Pizza (it worked great!) and it has morphed into my go-to pan for baking.

Baby Boy is a traditionalist. Triple layer chocolate, chocolate chip, chocolate frosting cake. Don’t tell anyone, but for this, I use a box cake mix and premade chocolate fudge frosting. I add a little brewed coffee to the tub of Betty Crocker frosting (only the best for my baby) and mix it up well before applying to the cake. I usually shave some more chocolate on top – I wouldn’t want it to be underwhelming.

My beautiful DIL even has a fave. She called White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake as her birthday cake. I use copious amounts of No-Stick Cooking Spray with flour to make sure it doesn’t come out in pieces. (But if it does… it’s Trifle time!)

Me? I’m an equal opportunity cake eater. Whatever someone makes or buys, I will eat. Hopefully, they’ll have picked up some coffee ice cream to go with.

What are your family’s favorite cakes?

Weekly Menu 08.03.25

Now that I’m dying for a piece of cake, guess it’s time to hit the Weekly Menu 08.03.25. The plan for Sunday night is a good one, but I’m not going to lie and be the Well Seasoned Fraud. We’re going out for dinner for Bert’s big day, so we’re not eating according to the menu. I always say that if we follow the menu 80% of the time, we’re doing great. During the summer, there always seems to be SOME disruption to the plan, and usually it’s a treat.

We’re at the tail end of cherry season, so we’re going to include those on the menu for Monday night. Cherry Salsa is still sweet, but it’s got a tang from the jalapeno, and it goes fabulously well with plain, grilled pork chops. If you want to grill some vegetables too, try our Rainbow Veggie Skewers. Super pretty.

Summer = Grilling in Erieland.

We’re having healthy grilled chicken with decadent Garlic Alfredo Sauce on Thursday. A little of the sauce goes a loooong way. Moderation in everything!

On Friday, we’re having our annual lobster dinner, complete with, well, lobster, steaks, baby potatoes, and corn on the cob. We’ll have Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies for dessert.

Speaking of fresh corn, my seester recently told me that the corn is planted several times during the season to extend it’s edible life. She was told, “You didn’t think they just planted it once, did you?” (Yes. Yes, we both did.) Mind blown – I never could figure out how the corn didn’t start to get old and nasty later in the summer. A farmer, I am not.